The annual conference, hosted by CompTIA, the leading trade association for the industry, opened with working sessions by seven CompTIA member communities. These groups are charged with helping individuals and businesses thrive; contributing to industry growth; and promoting collaboration among industry leaders.

"We can bring value to businesses by giving them access to new people in the tech space," said Nathan Archer, chairman of the community and director of business development for A & H Technology Group, New York, N.Y.

Making greater use of social media and connecting with other groups focused on embracing diversity in the workplace are among the tactics the community plans to employ.

Security dominated the discussion at the meeting of the CompTIA Managed Services Community. Speakers noted that while most organizations acknowledge the importance of security, a significant number of them have yet to upgrade their defenses. That may require a change in the customer-technology provider conversation, according to Robert Boles, founder and president, BLOKWORX, Inc., San Francisco.

"Security is not a product," Boles said. "Security is really a culture. It's a constant, ongoing learning process."

"You need metrics on customer support satisfaction," advised James Foxall, president and CEO, Tigerpaw, Bellevue, Neb. "If you're doing it by gut feel, I guarantee your gut is wrong."

Two other communities celebrated recent award winners.

Three young leaders who are excelling in their roles with IT channel organizations were honored as ChannelChangers for 2018 by the CompTIA Future Leaders Community. This year's honorees are Jessie Devine, QuoteWerks; Mackenzie Heddy, The ASCII Group; and Hannah Lloyd, Inbay.

At the CompTIA Advancing Women in Technology (AWIT) Community session, three women singled out for their commitment, leadership and mentorship in the industry and a recent high school graduate were recognizes as the recipients of the inaugural CompTIA AWIT Spotlight Awards.

About CompTIA The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $4.8 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the more than 35 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the world's economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit www.comptia.org to learn more.